Compressor



June 23, 1936.

M. w. KENNEY ET AL 2,045,0 4

COMPRESSOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July '7, 1934 June 23, 1936. M. W. KENNEY ET AL COMPRESSOR I Filed July '7, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented June 23, 1936 UNITED STATES,

PATENT oFHcE eral Household Utilities Company, Chicago}- Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application July '1, 1934, Serial No. 734,077

6'Claims. (Ci.103-135) Our invention relates in general to hydraulicbetwen the edge or a hydraulic impeller blade machines, and has more particular reference to fluid forcing devices such as the compressorillustrated and described in our co-pending application for United States Letters Patent Serial No. 724,894, filed May 10, 1934.

The invention has for an important object the provision of a hydraulic machine comprising a fluid forcing devic'eparticularly well adapted for use in refrigerating systems of the so-called compression evaporation type in which a suitable refrigerating medium in gaseous condition is compressed, then liquefied by condensation, and finally evaporated for the absorption of heat, the

gases evolved by the evaporation of the refrig-v erating medium being then returned to the compressor for a repetition 6f the refrigerating cycle, the invention relating more especially to a fluid forcing device or compressor comprising a piston or forcing element cooperatively disposed within a cylinder, the parts being arranged for relative movement in order to force fluid delivered in the cylinder through the space between the forcing element and the cylinder in response to the relative movement of the parts, wherein at least one of the parts carries one or more depressible blades adapted to extend -in said forcing space and into contact with the other part, the inventionparticularly relating to the suppression of-v noise developed by the relative movement of I the blades with respect to the parts on which the same are mounted.

Another important object is to provide, in general, a'hydraulic device having relatively movable parts and one or more impeller blades mov-.

able on said parts, including means for suppressing. noise developed by the relative movement of the blades on said parts.

'Another important object is to provide a rotary hydraulic device having a rotary element provided with impeller blades carried in slotted portions of said element, and adapted for siid-' the drawings a fluid forcing device, particularly and the bottom of a slot formed in an impeller element and in 'which said blade is slidingly mounted; a further object beingto mount the pegs in an edge of the blade.

A' further object is to utilize a resilient metallic strip comprising spring means between the edge of "the impeller blade and the bottom of the slot of animpeller element in which the blade is slidingly mounted; a further object be- Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially through the motorcompressor unit illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section taken substantiallyon the line 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of parts oi. the unit shown in Figure 2;v

Figure 5 is anenlarged sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 in'Figure 4, in order to illustrate the construction of impeller 'vanes forming a part of the fluid forcing device shown in Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is a view illustrating a modified impeller blade embodying our present invention,

To illustrate our invention, we have shown on well adapted 'for use as a compressor in a re frigerating system of the compression-evaporation type, although it will be obvious that the invention is not necessarily restricted to compressors or to devices for use-in refrigerating systems. On the contrary, our invention includes features which may be incorporated. to advantage in de-' uices such as pumps and fluid motors operating by or through hydraulic action. The devicevof our present invention, however; is more perticu-,

larly applicable in fluid forcing devices adapted for substantially noiseless operation, for which reason the invention is especially adapted for use in domestic refrigeration systems, in which noise- 55 less operation is an important consideration. To this end we have illustrated'our present invention as embodied in a motor compressor unit ll, comprising a fluid forcing device 13, and driving 5 means I5 for the forcing means. The driving means l5 preferably comprises an electric motor which, with the fluid forcing device I3, is housed in a substantially hermetic casing l1 formed in any suitable or preferred fashion. The casing is a preferably formed in sections I8 and 2|, the casing section I 8 being preferably formed as a casing having an outstanding peripheral flange 23, and providing a receptacle for receiving the fluid forcing device It. The other casing portiomfl is formed preferably of sheet metal, and is of domelike shape affording, an enclosure for the motor. The casing portion 21 has a peripheral flange 25 fastened as by means of a holding ring 21 and bolts 29 upon the flange portion 25 of the casing portion I, an annular gasket 3| extending between the flanges 23 and 15, whereby the casing portions are sealingly secured in position to enclose the fluid forcing and driving elements I3 and I5. The casing portion 19 is formed with a partition 53 defining a chamber 35 adapted to receive the-fluid forcing mechanism, and a second chamber 51 forming, amuiiler, both of said chambers opening upwardly in the casing portion. The portion I 9 also carries a. cover member 39 50 which extends across and closes the upper ends of the chambers 55 and 51. This cover is secured in place on the casing portion I! in any suitable fashion as by bolts or other fastening devices ll. Suitable gasket means 45 extending between and '85 being clampingly secured by and between the facing surfaces of the cover and the portion I! on which it is mounted. The casing portion I9 isalso provided with suitable depending legs 45 by which the casing and the mechanism therein may go be mounted on a supporting base 51, the legs 45 being preferably provided with resilient or shock absorbing means 41 preferably of the character illustrated in 'our co-pending application Serial No. 714,447, flled March 7, 1934. Any suitable or is preferred means, however, may be utilized for mounting the unit. The fluid forcing and driving means It and I5 may, of course, be mounted in the casing in any suitable or preferred fashion, but we prefer to mount them upon the cover 59. so which, as will be apparent, forms a partition separating the casing into upper and lower chambers, in which the driving means and the fluid forcing mechanism are respectively mounted, the driving means being mounted on and supported as by and above the cover 59, while the fluid forcing means is suspended upon and supp rted by and below the cover; This superposed arrangement is particularly well adapted to ourgpurpose in that it facilitates assembly and lubrication of so the operating'parts of the unit.

' The fluid forcing mechanism comprises a pair of cooperating elements 49 and II relatively shiftable in the performance of the hydraulic action of the device, the element 49 preferably com-- gs prising a cylinder, and the element 5! comprising a piston within the cylinder. The piston 5| is relatively smaller in external diameter than the internal diameter of the cylinder, and is mounted with its axis eccentric with respect to 70 the axis of the cylinder, in order to form a crescent-shaped working space 53 between the piston and the cylinder. The driving means I5 is operativelyconnected with the fluid forcing mechanism in order to' relatively shift the piston 15 and cylinder. In the illustrated embodiment, the

, der.

piston is rotated on its axis by the driving means, while the cylinder is stationarily mounted, although other mechanical arrangements may be adopted in order to accomplish. the hydraulic action. 5

The cylinder 49 is, preferably formed as an open-ended cylindrical sleeve 55 having an internal cylinder bore 51 relieved as at 59 to forma port, which in the illustrated embodiment comprises an inlet port, a duct 6| being; formed in the 10 walls of, the member 55 between the port 59 and an end of the member. The walls of the cylinder 55 are also formed with a channel 63 preferably extending parallel with the axis of the bore 51 and opening at the opposite ends of the cylinder, 15 said channel having communication with the bore 51 through ducts 65, which are drilled through the wall intervening between the duct 63 and the bore 51 at angles as shown in Figure 2, this expedient permitting the ducts- 65 to be formed by 20 means of a drill applied through the oppositev ends ofthe bore 51. The channel 63 and ducts 65, in the illustrated embodiment, I form an exhaust manifold intowhich a work mediurn such as a refrigerant or other fluid, introduced into the 2:; cylinder through the inlet port'55. may be expelled by the fluid forcing action initiated by the relative movement of the piston within the cylin- One end of the cylinder 55 is closed by means of a cover 51, which, with the element 55, is stationarily mounted upon the underside of the partition 38, the parts 55 and 61 being held in place by means of studs 69 which extend through suitable channels formed in the elements 55 and 61, and thread into sockets formed in the partition 39.

The fluid forcing element or piston 5! com-- prises a cylindrical rotor which is mounted within the work chamber, formed by the bore 51 between the faces of the cover members 39 and 61. This rotor or impeller is of less diameter than that of the bore 51 and the rotor is journaled for rotation about an axis 1| eccentric to the axis 13 of the bore 51, the cylindrical im- N peller 5| being positioned in the chamber so that it forms a contact with the cylindricaiwalls of the work chamber at' a point between the inlet 59 and the outlet ducts 65 leaving the crescent shaped work place 53 between the impeller and the cylinder 55 on the side of the impeller opposite that at which it engages the cylinder. The rotor is formed at one end with an axial projection 15 by which it is journaled in the cover plate 61, said cover plate being formed with suitable bearing means 11 for receiving the axial projection 15. At its opposite end the rotor is provided with a projection forming an axle 19 which extends through and isjournaled in a bearing 8| carried by the partition 39.

The rotor or impeller-5| is provided with a 5' plurality of channels." extending parallel with and spaced from the axis of the rotor and slots 85 formed in the body of the rotor radially of said channels 83, said slots 85 extending in nonradial directions with respect to the axis of the impeller element and connecting the channels 83 with the surface of the impeller. The rotor is also undercut at its opposite ends to form annular channels -81 around the projections 15 and 19 and a fluid-forcing vane or blade 89 is 70 arranged in each of the slots 85, said blades being slidable therein so that their outer edgesmay slidingly engage the inner surface of the bore 51 at all times during the 'operation'of the device.

The shaft extends upwardly of the bearing peller 5| with respect to the cylinder 55. In the illustrated embodiment the relative shifting comprises rotation. of the impeller element 5| within the cylinder 55, the latter being held stationary. Where the. invention is embodied as a fluid forcing device or compressor, the impeller will rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 3 so that the blades 89 travelling with the rotating element 5| will force fluid delivered in the work chamber at the inlet 59 through the chamber'and deliver the same under pressure into the discharge manifold 63. The blades, however, in travelling around the cylinder 55, will be depressed in the slots 85. When the impeller is rotating at normal operating speed, centrifugal action will urge the'blades outwardly into position such that their edges are forced against and ride upon the inner surface of the bore 51. When the machine is initially started in operation as a compressor, the inertia of the blades against movement assisted by the sliding frictional engagement of the opposite end edges of the blades on the plates 39 and 61 will cause the blades to ride inwardly in their slots, the inner edges of the blades impacting with the internal abutments formed by the ducts 83. Thus at starting a clicking sound will be audible and moreover during long periods of operation without attention particularly where the machine is started and stopped frequently as when the same is used as a compressor in a domestic refrigerationsystem, appreciable wear may develop on parts at the points of impact. To eliminate the noise and wear, we provide resilient means between the inner edge of the blades and the abutment against which impact occurs. For this purpose we may utilize any suitable material.

The resilient means may, as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5, comprise pegs 9| of resilient material set in sockets 93 formed in the blades, the pegs having ends projecting from the edges of the blades in position to engage the wall of the ducts 83 when the blades are fully depressed in the slots. The pegs 9| may be of any suitable-resilient material, although we prefer to employ wooden pegs and while any number of pegs, depending upon the length of the blade may be employed on a blade, We find that two pegs for each-blade are ordinarily sufficient.

Alternately, as shown in Fig. 6, we may employ resilient means in the form of a spring, pref- ..erably a leaf spring 95 having its opposite ends off-set for insertion in a readily removable manner in the sockets 91 formed in spaced-apart position in the blade and opening on the inner edgethereof. The sockets 91 are preferably inclined as shown and when the ends of the leaf spring 95 are seated, the intermediate portions of the springextend along the edge of the blade in resilient, outwardly bowed position, thus affording a yielding bufier for engagement with the abutment provided by the wall of theduct at the inner-end of the slot at which the blade is or may be seated. 'We find that the provision of the resilient shock absorbing bufier means not only reduces wear, but also eliminates the unde sirable clicking sound due to impact of the blades on the bottom of the slot when the machine is started in operation.

The blades 89 are, of course, freely depressible in the slots at all times, thereby permitting fluid slippage past the blades at any time when abnormal pressures develop during normal operation as where incompressible liquids enter the cylinder. This construction is adapted to relieve locking of the device and consequent strain set up in the parts under such conditions. As heretofore stated, the blades, due to their inertia,

recede in the slots when the machine is initially started. This, together with the fact that the blades are themselves depressible, permits operation of the impeller mechanismto relieve back pressure upon the rotor whenthe same is started in operation from rest. As the rotor commences to move, the inertia of the blades, together with the tangential arrangement of the same, causes the blades to slide inwardly in the slots, thus affording a space between the outer edges of the blades and the surface of thebore 51 through which the pump is unloaded at the instant of starting. As the speed of the impeller'increases, 2

a centrifugal action expels the blades outwardly in their slots into working contact with the cylinder slots so that the device becomes gradually loaded as it .reaches normal operating speed. Should abnormal back pressures develop, the blades will remain depressed to permit the device to operate in partially loaded condition in order to avoid strain and damage to the parts.

The casing means is formed with an inlet channel communicating with the duct BI, and the casing is also provided with conduit means comm'unicating with the exhaust manifold 63 and affording an outlet from the casing. In the illusstrated embodiment, 'the partition is formed with a duct 99 communicating with the duct GI and opening through a valve |0I into an inlet conduit I93 which is preferably formed on the casing member I9 and provided with connecting means I05 for attaching the inlet channel I93 with a source of fluid to be compressed. The partition 39 is also formed with duct means IIl'I communicating with the exhaust manifold 63 and opening into the. muffler chamber 3'I. The partition also carries an outlet fitting I09 including a pipe I II opening at its lower end in the mufiler chamber and at its upper end in the space defined by the housing 2| above the partition. The fluid medium is drawn in through the inlet I03, thence through the valve I 0| which functions toprevent return flow of fluid out through the inlet, through the ducts 99 and GI, thence betwene the elements 5| and 55. The fluid delivered from the elements 5| and 55 into the exhaust manifold 63 through the'duct 65 enters the muiller chamber by way of the duct means I01 and escapes thence into the casing portion 2| above the partition and is finally ejected from the device through an outlet fitting I I3 formed in the casingmember 2|.

We provide lubrication for the unit by forming areservoir I for a suitable lubricating medium in the casing portion I9 and around the compressor therein. The plate 61 is formed with a duct I 41 through which lubricant will be drawn in response to the operation of the parts 5| and creating a reducedpressure within the cylinder 55. The lubricant'entering the channel I41 passes through a screen I49 mounted on the .plate 61 and enters the annular channel 81 at A certain amount of lubricant also 'iwill be drawn up the lower end of the element 5|.

through the ducts B3= behind the blades, a por- 7 tion of the lubricant escaping outwardly through the slots I! on opposite sides of each blade into,

the work space in order to lubricate the moving parts of the elements ii and 55 and of the blades II. The lubricant thus delivered into the work chamber will be forced through the ducts '5 into. the outlet manifold 08 and may be delivered to the lubricant which does not pass into the work space will be delivered through the ducts 83 into the upper annular space l1 and thence upwardly through a duct I" formed in the bearing ll. A part of the lubricant passing through the duct 1 Il! may enter the bearing "through an opening I"; The lubricant entering the bearing ll through the openings Iii and ill will be pumped ineither direction through the bearing by means of pumping grooves I51 formed in the shaft 19, a part of the lubricant being discharged at the lower end of the bearing into the annular groove .1, and the rest being discharged at the upper end of the bearing, and this, together with the excess lubricant escaping from the upper end of the duct I" will flow downwardly over the upper surface of the partition 39 and collect in a pool at the outer edge of the partition. The partition is provided with means for returning the so-collected lubricant to the reservoir I.

While we have described the fluid forcing device or compressor of the type particularly well,

adapted for use in a domestic refrigeration system, our invention, of course, is not-necessarilybeing connected by means of a suitable conduit,

with a condenser III which in turn is connected through a preferably float-controlled expansion valve Ill with a refrigerant evaporator or boiler ill so that a compressed refrigerating medium in gaseous condition; delivered from the cornpressor, may be liquefied in the condenser by the removal of heat from the compressed refrigerant and delivered thus in liquid condition through the expansion valve and into the evaporator. The liquid refrigerant boils in the evaporator with consequent absorption of heat and the gases evolved during the boiling of the refrigerant in the evaporator are returned to the suction side of the compressor by means of a suitable conduit.

,Where the refrigerating system is arranged in a'cabinet for use as a domestic refrigerator, the evaporator II. is preferably located in heatexhange relationship with respect to the atmosphere within a cooling chamber ill, preferably forming a part of the cabinet ill. The cabinet is also preferably formed with a mechanism chamber l2! disposed adjacent the refrigerating chamber and in which the condenser, compressor, -fioat-valve and a blower powered by a motor I21 for them of cooling the condenser, may arranged.

- We prefer to use an electric motor for driving the compressor, which motor comprises a rotor l2. whichis secured to and carried by the shaft .1 above the partition 39. This rotor fits within an annular stator lil forming a part of the driving motor and which is mounted in seats II! formed on the partition 30, the stator being held in place by means of studs I. Electrical power for operating the motor may be delivered through conductors, including a sealed inlet plug I31 in which the conductors extend through a a wall of the casing means which encloses the unit. We prefer to operate the blower motor I21 and the compressor driving motor by connecting the same in parallel and to an electrical control system whichis preferably enclosed in a casing I38 and mounted in the mechanism compartment If}, the control mechanism within the casing being connected by suitable conductors with thermomtic control devices ill mounted in the refrigerating chamber lZl, whereby the system may be placed in operation by starting the compressor whenever the temperature within the refrigerating chamber rises above the predetermined value. Electrical power for driving the motors l and I21 may be delivered through a cable fitted with a plug connector 3 for detachable connection with an available power source. I

It is thought that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages and inherent functions will be understood from the foregoing description, and it is obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its attendant advantages, the forms herein described beingpreferred embodiments for the purpose of illustrating the invention, and we do not herein claim the refrigerating system or the general arrangement of the compressor and its driving motor since the same form the subject matter of our co-pending application, Serial No. 724,894 filed May 10, 1934.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows: 7

l. A device'of the character described comprising a cylindrical impeller element having a slot opening on a cylindrical surface of the ele-. ment, a blade extending in said slot and adapted to be projected at one edge outwardly of the cylindrical surface of the slot by centrifugal action when the impeller element is rotated, and

shock-absorbing means carried on the. opposite edge of the blade in position to engage the bottom of the slot and to absorb the energy of impact between the blade and the bottom of the slot when the blade is projected into the slot, said shock-absorbing means being ineffective to urge the blade out of said slot.

2. A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical impeller element having a slot extending parallel with the axis of the element and opening on a'cylindrical surface of the element, a blade extending, in said slot and adapted to be projected at one edge outwardly of the tion when the impeller element is rotated, and shock-absorbing means carried on the opposite edge of the blade-in position to engage the bottom of the slot and to absorb the energy of impact between the blade and the bottom of the slot when the blade is projected into the slot, said shock-absorbing means being ineffective to urge the blade outwardly of said slot.

'3. A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical impeller element having a slot opening on a cylindrical surface of the element, a blade extending in said slot and adapted to be projected at one edge outwardly of the cylindrical surface of the slot by centrifugal action cylindrical surface of the slot by centrifugal acwhen the impellerelement is rotated, and shockabsorbing means comprising peg-like elements of yielding material carried on the opposite edge slot opening on a cylindrical surface of the element, a blade extending in said slot and adapted to be projected at one edge outwardly of the cylindrical surface of the slot by centrifugal action when the impeller element is rotated, and shockabsorbing means comprising wooden pegs carried in sockets on the opposite edge of the blade, said pegs extending from said edge in position to engage the bottom of the slot and to absorb the energy of impact-between the blade and the bottom of the slot when the blade is projected into the slot, said shock-absorbing means being ineffective to urge the blade out of said slot.

5. A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical impeller element having a slot opening on a cylindrical surface of the element, a blade extending in said slot and adapted to be projected at one edge outwardly of the cylindrical surface of the slot by centrifugal action when the impeller element is rotated, and shock-absorbing means comprising a strip of spring metal mounted at its opposite ends in spaced sockets formed in the blade at its opposite edge, the medial portions of said strip extending outwardly of said edge in position to engage the bottom of the slot and to absorb the energy of impact between the blade and the bottom of the slot when the blade is projected into the slot, said shock-absorbing means being ineffective to urge the blade out of said slot.

6; A device of the character described comprising an impeller element having a slot therein extending substantially parallel to the axis of the element and opening on a cylindrical surface thereof, a pate-like blade in said slot having an edge adapted to be projected outwardly through said opening by centrifugal action when the element is rotated, said slot providing an abutment for limiting the movement of the blade inwardly in said slot, the plane of said slot and the blade therein being spaced fromthe axis of the element so that the blade is inclined on said ele-- ment in the direction of rotation of the element whereby the inertia of the blade will cause the same to be projected inwardly of said slot when the element is intially rotated and resilient shockabsorbing means carried by the blade member in position to co-operatively engage said abutment when the blade is thus projected inwardly in the slot whereby to absorb the energy of impact between the blade and the abutment and suppress impact noises.

MAHLON W. KENNEY. ARTHUR R. CONSTANTINE. 

